Car door



Jam, M, 1i-3l w. A. BEAUCHAMP CAR DOOR Filed Oct 2 Sheets-Sheet l {NVE/vra@ WMF/Q50 55m/CHAMP @y di I Mime,

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Patentes! jan. 14, 1936 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAR DOOR of Ohio .Application October 1, 1934, Serial No. 746,389

11 Claims.

This invention relates to doors for railway cars and particularly to sliding doors of the lift type. Sliding doors of the lift type with which the instant invention is concerned are frictionally supported in their normal or lowered position to prevent or materially retard sliding movement of the doors. These doors are provided with elevating mechanism by means of which they may be elevated above their rictional supports and carried upon rollers when sliding movement of the doors is desired. In some forms of elevating mechanism the rollers are carried by retainers which are provided with trunnions journaled in the doors in offset relationship to the axis of the rotation of the rollers.

Such elevating mechanisms have been found to be commercially successful. Their application to the doors has heretofore been made upon a moving assembly line subsequent to the completion of the door structurally. In some instances as a consequence of this mode oi assembly and the inexperience or carelessness of the workers, the retainer trunnions have not been properly journaled in bearings provided in the doors and in these instances doors which are not acceptable have been produced. By the instant invention these errors of assembly are obviated and doors are obtained, the construction oi which is rendered as fool-proof as possible.

This invention has for an object the provision of a unit lifting mechanism which may be subsequently applied vto a door to avoid the discrepancies oi application which may result from the application of the individual parts of such mechanism to the door.

A further object is to provide a unit lifting mechanism which may be assembled in a jig to insure accuracy of assembly so that such unit may subsequently be secured to a door.

A further object is to provide a sliding door of the lift type embodying a unit lifting mechanism.

A further object is to provide sliding doors oi the lift type embodying unit lifting mechanism, the construction being such as to permit substantially complete construction of the door independent of the lifting mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specication Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a sliding lift door embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial elevation of the unit lifting mechanism applied to the door of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line '5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modiiied form of the invention;

Figure 9 is a partial elevation of the unit lifting mechanism used with the door shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken on line III-I0 of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 to '7, inclusive, the numeral Iil designates a railway car door of the sliding lift type. The door I Il comprises essentially a metallic panel II of any desired construction which may be reinforced at its front vertical margin by means of a member I2 and at its rear vertical margin by means of a sealing strip I3 and a buier angle I4. Any desired form of reinforcement may be used for the top of the door.

The door is adapted to close an opening I5 formed in the side of a railway car to which it is applied. The opening I5 is defined in part by the front and rear door posts I6 and I'I. The front post I6 carries a front stop member I8 adapted to coact with the front marginal door reinforcement I2 to seal the front edge of the door. The rear door post I1 carries a sealing strip I9 adapted to coact with the door sealing strip I3 in the closed position of the door to seal the rear margin of the door.

To provide for sliding and lifting movements of the door the instant invention contemplates the employment of a structural unit which may be applied preferably to the lower margin of the door. This unit in the considered embodiment of the invention comprises a plate member 20 having a length substantially equal to that of the door. The lower margin of the plate member 2li is bent outwardly to provide a flange 2I by means of which the door may be frictionally supported upon a track 22 carried by the car in the normal or lowered position of the door. 'Ihe plate member 20 serves as a backing member for the lift mechanism and for the lower portion of the panel of the door. The lift mechanism illustrated comprises roller retaining members 23 and 24 which carry rollers 25 and 2S. Each of the roller retainers is provided with aligned trunnions, those of the roller retainer 24 being designated by the numerals 2'| and 28. One of the trunnions 29 of the roller retainer 23 is illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, this trunnion being adapted for engagement with an operating lever as hereinafter set forth. The trunnions of the roller retainers are journaled respectively in the backing member 20 and in cover plates 30 and 3| riveted to said backing member, as clearly indicated in Figures 2 and 7 of the drawings. For this purpose the backing member 20 is provided with apertures 32 serving as bearings for the inwardly disposed trunnions of the roller retainers. Also the cover plate is provided with an aperture adapted to receive the outwardly extending trunnion 29 while the cover plate 3| is provided with a. bearing 33 adapted tc receive the trunnion 28. A connecting bar 34 engages projections 35 and 36 formed on the roller retainers 23 and 24 to insure simultaneous operation of the roller retainers.

The assembly of the structural lift unit hereinabove described is performed as a bench assembly whereby proper preparation of the bearings provided in the backing member 20 and in the cover plates 30 and 3| may be had. Correct assembly of the trunnions of the roller retainers in said bearings may thus be insured and a proper lifting unit obtained.

The provision of such a structural lift unit does not interfere with the completion of the remainder of the door upon the usual assembly line. It will be apparent, therefore, that doors embodying the instant invention may be completed in all other respects and that the structural lift unit may subsequently be assembled therewith. In the considered embodiment of the invention the sealing strip |3 is offset adjacent the lower end thereof as indicated at 37, in order to permit ready assembly of the unit with the remainder of the door, such offset being provided in view of the desired increased thickness of the backing member 20 over the thickness of the vertical backing plate 38. In such assembly the rear margin o-f the backing member 20 is inserted between the panel and the door sealing strip 3. To permit such insertion the three lowermost rivets shown at the rear margin of the door in Figure 1 of the drawings are omitted. The backing plate is then moved so as to engage the rear of the panel whereupon the cover plates 33 and 3| will project through recesses 39 and Il!! provided in the lower margin of the door panel. The upper and lower margins of the backing member 2|) are then riveted to the door panel and the three lowermost rivets in the front vertical margin of the door which have been omitted to permit the assembly of the unit with the door, as well as the three lowermost rivets at the rear margin of the door are then driven. The operating lever 4| may then be assembled with the trunnion 29 of the roller retainer 23 and with a retainer quadrant 42 which may then be riveted to the door.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings. In this form of the invention a structural angle member 43 is utilized and serves as the backing member for the lifting unit and a reinforcing member for the lower margin of the door. With' the exception of the change in the character of the backing member, the lifting unit illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings embodies the same elements utilized in the lifting unit illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. In other words, roller retainers 23 and 24 carrying the rollers 25 and 26 are journaled in the upstanding leg 44 of the backing member 43 and in the cover plates 30 and 3| by means of trunnions 2'| and 28 provided on the roller retainer 24 and corresponding trunnions provided on the roller retainer 23. The retainers 23 and 24 are connected for simultaneous operation by means of the bar 34. `As in the case of the previous embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that the assembly of the elements of the modified form of unit lift mechanism may be accurately obtained by performing the assembly in a jig.

It will also be apparent that in the main the door I' may be assembled independently of the structural lift unit. A separate backing plate 45 is utilized for the lower margin of the door, while the angle member 43 serves to` provide a reinforcing member for the lower margin of the door. In the completion of the door assembly need only be made of the three elements, namely, the portion of the door heretofore completed, the backing plate 45 and the structural lift unit. This assembly between these elements may readily be accomplished upon a moving assembly line. The backing plate 45 may be assembled with the p0rtion of the door above referred to in the manner described for the assembly of the backing member 23 of the structural lift unit heretofore described. The lift unit of the instant embodiment of the invention may be assembled with the other two elements so that the relative position of these parts will be as indicated in Figure 8 of the drawings. Thereupon the horizontal rows of rivets, the three lowermost rivets at the front vertical margin of the door and the four lowermost rivets at the rear vertical margin of the door, all as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, may be driven. -The operating lever 4| and retaining quadrant 42 are properly related and the lever engaged with' the extending trunnion 29 provided on the roller retainer 23. The retaining quadrant 42 may then be riveted to the door to prevent disengagement of the operating lever.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and mcdications in the `details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It vis intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a slidable car door of the Ilift type, a metallic panel, marginal reinforcing members -secured to said panel, `in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said backing member, said unit being secured to said panel and said marginal reinforcing members to complete :said door.

2. In a slidable car Adoor of the lift type, a metallic panel, marginal reinforcing members secured to said panel, in combination With a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said backing member, said backing member comprising a vertical attaching iiange for securing said unit to said panel to complete said door and a horizontal flange for frictionally supporting said door in lowered position.

3. In a slidable -car door of the 4lift type. a metallic panel, marginal reinforcing members secured to said panel, in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said backing member, said unit being applied to said panel with said backing member disposed substantially upon the inside of said panel and said lifting means disposed substantially upon the outside of said panel and means for securing said unit to said panel to complete said door.

4. In a slidable lift door, a metallic panel having spaced recesses provided in the lower vmargin thereof, in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backingv member and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said member, said unit being secured to said panel, said backing member being disposed substantially upon the inside of said panel and said lifting means substantially extending through said panel recesses to the outside of said panel.

5. In a slidable lift door, a metallic panel having spaced recesses provided in the lower margin thereof, in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said member, said unit being secured to said panel, said backing member being disposed substantially upon vthe inside of said panel and said lifting means substantially extending through said panel recesses to the outside of said panel, said backing member extending across and closing said recesses.

6. In a slidable lift door, a metallic panel, a sealing strip disposed upon the inside of said panel at the rear vertical margin thereof, a portion of said strip adjacent the lower edge of said panel being unsecured, the remainder of said strip being secured to said margin of the panel, in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and a lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said member, the rear margin of said backing member being slidably inserted between said panel and said sealing strip, means for securing said backing member to said panel and means for securing said backing member, panel and sealing strip together.

"1. In a slidable lift door, a metallic panel, spaced recesses provided in the lower margin of said pan- 5 el, a sealing strip disposed upon the inside of said panel at the rear vertical margin thereof, a portion of said strip adjacent the lower edge of said panel being unsecured, the remainder of said strip being secured to said margin of the panel, in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and a lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said member, the rear margin of said backing member being slidably inserted between said panel and said sealing strip and said backing member swung into engagement with said panel to project said lifting means through said recesses and means for securing said backing member, panel and sealing strip together.

8. A structural unit for slidable lift doors comprising a backing member, and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said backing member.

9. A structural unit for slidable lift doors comprising a backing member, substantially equal in length to the length of the door to which said unit is to be applied and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers and eccentrically journaled in said backing member, said backing member constituting the backing plate for said door.

l0. A structural unit for slidable lift doors comprising a backing member, and lifting means carried by said backing member, said lifting means comprising elements eccentrically journaled in said backing member.

11. In a slidable lift door, a metallic panel, a backing plate, means securing the upper margin of said backing plate to said panel, in combination with a separate, preassembled structural unit, said unit comprising a backing member and lifting means embodying roller retainers carrying rollers eccentrically journaled in said member, said backing member being positioned between said panel and said backing plate and means for securing the lower margin of said backing plate, panel and backing member together.

WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP. 

